Spirit of America Bookstore

Tractors  &  Farm Equipment  Page

short history farm equipment brands books & magazines other media photo & poster gallery toys, games, collectibles links • group & event links

American farming began with the stock-driven plow, expanded with stock-driven harvesting equipment,
then steam-driven and gas-driven eqipment of all kinds. Today, the family-size farm is endangered by
corporate 'factory' farms that produce a cheaper, low-quality product.

Tractor & Farm Equipment Brands
To give an idea of market share, the 1935 percentages of tractor sales by manufacturer were:
International Harvester 49%, John Deere 25%, Allis-Chalmers 9.5%, Case 7.1%, Oliver 3.6%,
Minneapolis Moline 3.6%, Massey Harris 0.7%, with all others at 1.5%

Allis-Chalmers [1840s-1985]
The Advance Thresher Company [est. 1881] of Battle Creek, Michigan was purchased by the M. Rumely Company
[est. 1887] of La Porte, Indiana in 1911; the company re-formed as the Advance-Rumely Company in 1915,
and was sold to Allis-Chalmers in 1931.

	"The Allis-Chalmers Story: Classic American Tractors" [1988] by C. H. Wendel Krause Publns 10¾x8½ pb [8/2004] out of print/used Motorbooks Intl. 11½x9 hardcover [8/88] out of print/used
	"Allis-Chalmers Tractors: History of Advance-Rumely Monarch Crawlers {and} Allis-Chalmers Tractors & Implements" [1993] Text by C.H. Wendel, photography by Andrew Morland Motorbooks Intl. 10½x9 pb [1993] out of print/used
	"Allis-Chalmers Farm Equipment, 1914-1985" [1994] by Norm Swinford A.S.A.B.E. 11x8¾ hardcover [9/94] out of print/used "A Guide To Allis-Chalmers Farm Tractors" [1996] by Norm Swinford A.S.A.B.E. 8½x11 hardcover [1996] out of print/used

"La Porte Indiana and Its Environs (Images of America)" [6/2002]
by La Porte County Historical Society /0738519693/

American Lawn Mower Co. [est. 1895]
official website

J.I. Case Corp.
Case purchased the American Tractor Corporation in 1957 primarily to obtain A.T.C.’s unique backhoe design.

"Full Steam Ahead: J. I. Case Tractors and Equipment... [] by David Erb
http://www.amazon.com/Full-Steam-Ahead-Equipment-1842-1955/dp/0929355423/

J.I. Case Heritage Foundation {site broken since 2009}

Caterpillar
Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club [est. 1990s] in Peoria, Illinois

The Cleveland Tractor Company [1930-56]
Cletrac Crawler Tractors fansite [est. 2000]

Cockshutt

Deere & Company [est. 1837]
Produced the D, GP and B models, the Waterloo Boy, Dain All-Wheel Drive, and the Tractivator,
and the New Generation Orchard and Hi-Crop models
browse DVDs • official website • IMDb listing • entry on Wikipedia

farm equipment baron John Deere [1804-86]
official 'Story of John Deere' • Wikipedia

"John Deere: A History of The Tractor" [2004] by Randy Leffingwell Voyageur Press 8¾x7¾ pb [8/2006] out of print/used Voyageur/M.B.I. hardcover [11/2004] out of print/used

"The Big Book of John Deere Tractors: The Complet... by Don Macmillan
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Deere-Tractors-Model-Model/dp/0896587401/

"The John Deere Two-Cylinder Tractor Encyclopedia... by Don Macmillan
http://www.amazon.com/Two-Cylinder-Tractor-Encyclopedia-Model-Model/dp/076032963X/

"THE JOHN DEERE STORY: A BIOGRAPHY OF PLOWMAKERS... by NEIL DAHLSTROM
http://www.amazon.com/JOHN-DEERE-STORY-BIOGRAPHY-PLOWMAKERS/dp/0875803369/

"John Deere Tractors and Equipment, Vol. 1: 1837-... by Don MacMillan
http://www.amazon.com/John-Deere-Tractors-Equipment-Vol/dp/091615095X/

"Classic John Deere Two-Cylinder Tractors: History,... by John Di
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-John-Deere-Two-Cylinder-Tractors/dp/0760331979/

"The Bigger Book of John Deere Tractors: The Comp... by Don Macmillan
http://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Deere-Tractors-Model-Model/dp/0760336539/

"The Field Guide to John Deere Tractors by Don Macmillan
http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-John-Deere-Tractors/dp/089658514X/

"John Deere's Company: A History of Deer... by Wayne G. Broehl Jr
http://www.amazon.com/John-Deeres-Company-History-Deere/dp/0385196644/

"John Deere New Generation Tractors (Farm Trac... by Chester Peterson
http://www.amazon.com/Deere-Generation-Tractors-Tractor-History/dp/0760304270/

"Vintage John Deere by Dave Arnold
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-John-Deere-Dave-Arnold/dp/0760704643/

"How to Restore Your John Deere Two-Cylinder Tract... by Spencer Yost
http://www.amazon.com/Restore-Two-Cylinder-Tractor-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760309795/

"John Deere: Series A, B, G, H, Models D, M by Clymer Publications
http://www.amazon.com/John-Deere-Models-Clymer-Publications/dp/0872880672/

"John Deere New Generation and Generation II Tractor... by John Dietz
http://www.amazon.com/John-Deere-Generation-Tractors-Specifications/dp/0760336008/

"Inside John Deere: A Factory History (Color T... by Chester Peterson
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-John-Deere-Factory-History/dp/0760304416/

"Legendary John Deere Tractors: A Photographic History [] by Andrew Morland
http://www.amazon.com/Legendary-John-Deere-Tractors-Photographic/dp/0760332932/

Two-Cylinder Club & Magazine [est. 1985]
Green Magazine [est. 1999] in Bee, Nebraska
Green Collectors [est. 2003] John Deere fans & collectors portal

Ford / Fordson
Ford / Fordson Collectors Association [est. 1992] based in Mahomet, IL

"Ford Farm Tractors" [Motorbooks Classics 3/2004] by Randy Leffingwell
http://www.amazon.com/Ford-Farm-Tractors-Motorbooks-Classics/dp/0760319197/

I.H.C. / International Harvester

"150 Years of International Harvester: Classic American Tractors" [2004] by C. H. Wendel Krause Publns 10¾x8½ pb [11/2011] for $17.77

"International Harvester Tractor (Motorbooks... by Randy Leffingwell
http://www.amazon.com/International-Harvester-Tractor-Motorbooks-Classic/dp/0760319243/

Red Power Magazine [est. 1986] in Ida Grove, Iowa

Massey Harris Ferguson
Massey Harris Ferguson Legacy Quarterly

McCormick-Deering Farmall

"The Big Book of Farmall Tractors: The Complet... by Robert N. Pripps
http://www.amazon.com/Farmall-Tractors-Model-Model-Encyclopedia-Plus/dp/0760336059/

"Legendary Farmall Tractors: A Photographic History by Lee Klancher
http://www.amazon.com/Legendary-Farmall-Tractors-Photographic-History/dp/0760335362/

inventor Cyrus Hall McCormick, Sr. [1809–84]
Granted a patent on the reaper 21 June 1834; second patent for reaper improvements 31 January 1845; co-founded
Cyrus H. McCormick & Brothers [est. 1847] in Chicago; name changed in 1879 to McCormick Harvesting Machine
Company; merged with Deering and others in 1902 to form International Harvester Company.

Minneapolis Moline Power Implement Company [1929-72]
Minneapolis-Moline fansite of the Prairie Gold Rush Quarterly [est. 1982]

New Holland

Oliver Farm Equipment Company [est. 1929]
Formed by merger of the American Seeding Machine Company of Richmond, Indiana, the Oliver Chilled Plow
Works of South Bend, Indiana, the Hart-Parr Tractor Company of Charles City, Iowa, and the Nichols & Shepard
Company of Battle Creek, Michigan

"Classic Oliver Tractors: History, Models, Variations & Specifications 1855-1976 [7/2009] by Sherry Schaefer
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Oliver-Tractors-Variations-Specifications/dp/0760331995/

"Oliver Hart-Parr [] by C.H. Wendel
http://www.amazon.com/Oliver-Hart-Parr-Classic-American-Tractors/dp/B001QCXEIQ/

Oliver Heritage Magazine [est. 2004] for fans of Oliver, White & Cletrac

Books & Magazines

	"Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements & Antiques" [1997] by C. H. Wendel Krause Publns 11x8½ pb [4/2004] for $19.79 Krause Publns 11x8½ pb [9/97] out of print/used
	"Antique Tractor Bible: The Complete Guide To Buying, Using and Restoring Old Farm Tractors" [1998] by Spencer Yost Motorbooks Intl. 10½x8¼ pb [10/98] out of print/used
	"How To Restore Classic Farm Tractors: The Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Guide To Rebuilding & Restoring Tractors" [2003] by Tharran E. Gaines Voyageur Press 11x8½ pb [6/2003] for $19.77 "How To Restore Classic John Deere Tractors" [2003] Voyageur Press 11x8½ pb [6/2003] for $19.77 "How To Restore Classic Farmall Tractors" [2005] Voyageur Press 11x8½ pb [4/2005] for $19.77
	"The Ultimate Guide To Tractors" [2003] by Jim Glastonbury Chartwell Books 6½x8¼ pb [6/2006] for $12.99 Book Sales hardcover [6/2003] for $29.99
	"Tractors: An Illustrated History From Pioneering Steam Power To Today's Engineering Marvels" [2006] by Robert Moorhouse Gramercy 12¼x9¼ hardcover [6/2006] for $14.99

The American Farm Tractor Randy Leffingwell
THE FERGUSON TRACTOR STORY Stuart Gibbard
*NEW!* COMPACT TRACTOR GUIDE 2011 - Volume IX Hotline
*NEW!* 2012 THE OFFICIAL TRACTOR BLUE BOOK

"Ultimate Guide to Tractors [] by Jim Glastonbury
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Tractors-Jim-Glastonbury/dp/0785821503/r

"Legendary Farm Tractors: A Photographic History [] by Andrew Morland
http://www.amazon.com/Legendary-Farm-Tractors-Photographic-History/dp/0896585352/

"The Tractor in the Haystack: Great Stories of Tractor Archaeology [] by Scott Garvey, Foreword by Roger Welsch
http://www.amazon.com/Tractor-Haystack-Great-Stories-Archaeology/dp/0760332959/

"How To Paint Your Tractor [] by Tharran E Gaines
http://www.amazon.com/Paint-Your-Tractor-Tharran-Gaines/dp/0760328617/

"Classic Farm Tractors: History of the Farm T... by Randy Leffingwell
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Farm-Tractors-History-Tractor/dp/0785826866/

"How to Keep Your Classic Tractor Alive by Spencer Yost
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Your-Classic-Tractor-Alive/dp/0760329516/

"The American Tractor: A Century of Legendary Mac... by Patrick Ertel
http://www.amazon.com/American-Tractor-Century-Legendary-Machines/dp/0760308632/

"The Complete Guide to Stationary Gas Engines" [Aug 1996] by Mark & Mike Meincke
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Stationary-Gas-Engines/dp/0760301212/

"American Steam Tractors" [Sep 1997] by Patrick W. Ertel
http://www.amazon.com/American-Steam-Tractors-Patrick-Ertel/dp/0760300976/

"America's Classic Farm Tractors" [10/1999] by Randy Leffingwell
http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Classic-Tractors-Randy-Leffingwell/dp/0760308225/

"The American Tractor: A Century of Legendary Machines" [Mar 2001] by Patrick W. Ertel
http://www.amazon.com/American-Tractor-Century-Legendary-Machines/dp/0760308632/

"The Farm Tractor: 100 Years of North American Tractors" [Oct 2007] by Ralph W. Sanders & Bob Feller
http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Tractor-Years-American-Tractors/dp/0760330743/

"Farm Tractor Classics" [9/2008] by Lee Klancher
http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Tractor-Classics-Lee-Klancher/dp/0760332363/

"The Steam Tractor Encyclopedia: Glory Days of the Invention that Changed Farming Forever"
[Nov 2008] by John F. Spalding & Dr. Robert T. Rhode
http://www.amazon.com/Steam-Tractor-Encyclopedia-Invention-Changed/dp/0760334730/

"The First American Farm Tractors" [May 2010] by Jack Alexander
http://www.amazon.com/First-American-Farm-Tractors/dp/0557284228/

Farm & Ranch Living Magazine [est. 1978] magazine website

Antique Power Magazine [est.1990] subscribe at Amazon 6 issues/year for $29.95 magazine website

Farm Collector Magazine subscribe at Amazon 12 issues/year for $$34.95 magazine website

Tractor and Farm Trader Magazine of U.K. subscribe at Amazon 26 issues/year for US$136.52 magazine website

Classic Tractor Magazine of U.K. subscribe at Amazon 12 issues/year for US$96.26 magazine website

Fiction, Movies, Other Media
search of IMDb on keyword 'tractor' shows 189 films

William Hazlett Upson [1891-1975] wrote 112 stories about Alexander Botts, the world's greatest
tractor salesman, that were published from 1920 to 1974 in The Saturday Evening Post Magazine

	"Alexander Botts: Earthworm Tractors" [1929] by William Hazlett Upson Pocket mass pb [1/46] out of print/used
	"Keep'em Crawling: Earthworms At War" [1943] by William Hazlett Upson Given the title and the WWII publication date, it is reasonable to conclude that Alexander Botts herein tangles with the U.S. Army. Farrar & Rinehart hardcover [1943] out of print/used
	"The Best of Botts" [13 stories; 1961] by William Hazlett Upson "The finest and funniest of thirty years of the Saturday Evening Post stories about the world's favorite tractor salesman – Alexander 'The Great' Botts" Pocket mass pb [1962] out of print/used Pocket mass pb [1962] out of print/used McKay hardcover [1961] out of print/used
	"The Fabulous Saga of Alexander Botts and The Earthworm Tractor" [14 stories; 1965] by William Hazlett Upson Voyageur Press 8x5¼ pb [6/65] out of print/used
	"Alexander Botts: Great Stories From The Saturday Evening Post" [1977] by William Hazlett Upson Amereon Ltd. 8¾x5¾ library hardcover [1/78] for $23.52
	"Alexander Botts Rides Again: More Mayhem On The Earthworm Tractor!" [12 stories; 2005] by William Hazlett Upson Voyageur Press 8x5¼ pb [2/2005] out of print/used

"Earthworm Tractors" [Warner Bros. July 1936]

Alexander Botts gets a job as salesman for the Earthworm Tractor Company; he isn't really good at sales and he's not as good a mechanic as he believes, but he perseveres in selling to grouchy lumberman Johnson, who refuses to mechanize, and eventually wins the contract – and Johnson's pretty daughter. Directed by Ray Enright; based on stories by William Hazlett Upson; starring Joe E. Brown, June Travis, Guy Kibbee, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes & Gene Lockhart Alpha Video b&w DVD [6/2004] for $7.98 V.C.I. Home Video b&w VHS [11/2000] out of prodn/used Movies Unlimited b&w VHS [undated] for $54.99 {sic} full credits at IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

watch "Earthworm Tractors" [1936] free online at Internet Archive

"Wild Harvest" [Paramount Sept 1947]

A combine crew follows the harvest across the plains; the niece of one farmer sets her sights on Jim, but he is too busy with work; she marries Joe and convinces him to 'high-grade' the wheat (skim some off of the farmer's cut), but he gets caught, so the crew flees across the state line; the girl tells Joe that she only married him to be close to Joe, the two men fight over the matter, but then decide that the girl is not worth it, and leave her standing alone in the middle of Nebraska. Directed by Tay Garnett; starring Alan Ladd, Dorothy Lamour, Robert Preston, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Erdman, Allen Jenkins, Will Wright & Vernon Dent video/DVD/Blu-ray not available • full credits at IMDb

"McCabe  &  Mrs.  Miller" [Warner Bros. 1971]

Scenic background includes steam tractor engines chugging theu the town's streets, and a scene with a steam pumper fire engine arriving at a building fire. Co-written & directed by Robert Altman; based on the Edmund Naughton novel; starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Rene Auberjonois, William Devane, John Schuck, Bert Remsen & Shelley Duvall; nominated for Best Actress Oscar (JC); added to National Film Registry (2010) Warner widescreen color DVD [6/2002] for $4.99 Warner color VHS [5/99] for $3.50 full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia 11"x17" poster available at AllPosters.com based on the 1964 novel by Edmund Naughton Leisure Books pb [2/91] out of print/used Berkeley Medallion mass movie tie-in pb [1971] out of print/used

"Days  of  Heaven"  [Paramount Sept 1978]

Written & directed by Terrence Malick; Nιstor Almendros won an Oscar for his superb cinematography; starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz & Robert J. Wilke Criterion widescreen color Blu-ray [3/2010] for $24.32 Criterion widescreen color DVD [10/2007] for $33.99 Paramount widescreen DVD [3/99] for $33.00 Paramount color VHS [5/97] out of prodn/used Paramount widescreen VHS [5/98] for $4.95 FSM Silver Age soundtrack CD [8/2011] 2 disks - out of prodn/used full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

Photo & Poster Gallery

Toys, Games, Collectibles

L i n k s

Antique Tractors Online Directory
TractorData.com online classified tractor & parts sales site
  T.S.C. / Tractor Supply Company chain headquartered in Tennessee

Davenport Tractor™ - reproduction tractor parts & manuals
M.E. Miller Tire [est. 1970] in Wauseon, Ohio - tires, tubes & rims for antique tractors
Wally's Tractor Hats [est. 2004] based in Colorado
http://www.millertire.com/links_list.asp?code=39
http://www.millertire.com/links_list.asp?code=1
The Tractor Seat Man [] in Mora, Minnesota
Antique Farming website [est. 2006?] in Wisconsin
All-States Ag Parts A.S.A.P. [] in Salem, South Dakota
Online Farmer catalog based in Madison, Wisconsin
Jensales, Inc. [est. 1989] in Manchester, MN - tractor manuals & parts
Jorde Decals [est. 1976] in Rochester, MN - high quality decals for antique John Deere tractors
Steiner Tractor Parts [] in Lennon, Michigan
Tired Iron Restoration [] in Oakville, WA
Yesterday's Tractor Company [est. 1997] and Antique Tractor Store
Antique Tractor Resource Pages [est. 1997] - for all antique tractors made before 1970
Joe Traktor and The Old Tractor Company [est. 2007] of Colorado
Restoration Supply Tractor Parts [] in Hopedale, MA
'Farmall Promenade' square-dancing tractors team [est. 1998] based in Nemaha, Iowa

Group & Event Links
http://www.farmcollectorshowdirectory.com/
http://www.millertire.com/links_list.asp?code=2
Pickett Steam & Gas Engine Club [] in Pickett WI
National Threshers Assn. [est. 1944] in Wauseon, Ohio

Florida Flywheelers Antique Engine Club event [Feb 2009 = #17] in Fort Meade, Florida

Kalamazoo Valley Antique Tractor, Engine & Machinery Show [June 2009 = #30]
in Hickory Corners, Michigan at the Gilmore Museum

Two-Cylinder Expo [June 2011 = #21] in Waterloo, Iowa

National Threshers Reunion [June 2012 = #68] in Wauseon, Ohio

Southeast Old Threshers Reunion [June-July 2011] in Denton, NC

Oliver Summer Show [2004] in Madison, South Dakota

New York Two-Cylinder Expo [July 2009 = #9] in Canandaigua, New York

Red Power Round-Up [July 2009] in Madison, Wisconsin

Prairie Days Antique Tractor Show [July] in Bible Grove, Illinois

New York Pageant of Steam [Aug 2011] in Canandaigua, NY

Buckley Old Engine Show [Aug 2011] in Buckley, Michigan

Tri-State Gas Engine & Tractor Show [Aug 2011] in Portland, Indiana

Nittany Antique Machinery Show [Sept 2011] in Penns Cave, PA

Wheatland Poppin' Johnnies Show [Oct 2011] in Wichita, Kansas

Spirit of America Bookstore's Tractors & Farm Equipment Page
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